Karnataka docs to resign en masse on Sept 29

Rejecting the pay hike announced by the Karnataka Government, doctors working under the state Health and Family Welfare Department on Saturday declared they would resign en masse on September 29 as planned earlier to press their charter of demands.

The 20 per cent increase announced by the Government yesterday was not acceptable and the salary should be on par with that of doctors working in the Medical Education Department, Karnataka Government Medical Officers' Association President Dr H N Ravindra told reporters in Bangalore.

"The government has reneged on its assurance given to us ten months ago that it would consider all our demands. It has fulfilled only one demand of regularisation of contract doctors while the other demands remain unfulfilled," he said.

The other demands of the association include consideration of contract period for post-graduation and time bound promotions.

Home Minister Dr V S Acharya yesterday announced the cabinet decision to hike the salaries of the doctors by Rs 4,500 to Rs 8,000 and regularisation of the services of 569 working on contract basis but said he knew the revision fell short of the doctors' demands. "Under the existing economic conditions, this is what the government can offer," he had said.